Although grape growing in Nova Scotia can be traced back to 1611, eight years after the first known vineyard graced American shores, Nova Scotia’s commercial wine industry had its beginnings with the Domaine de Grand Pré winery, opened in 1978 by Roger Dial, managing director of California’s Davis Bynum Winery. While Ontario was still struggling to find its unique place in the world of wine, Dial was quietly conducting field trials on over 100 grape varieties, hoping to find a suitable marriage of variety and climate.

The traditional “noble” French varieties showed little promise in Nova Scotia at the time. American and French hybrids seemed to show more promise. After much trial and much error, it was found that Seyval Blanc and Marachel Foch were well suited to the region—both French hybrids.

In 1982 the Grape Growers Association of Nova Scotia was formed and now has more than twenty members. There are presently nine wineries operating in the province, most of them tiny operations when compared to Ontario and British Columbia. But as one Nova Scotia wine enthusiast recalls, “Thirty years ago when you thought about Niagara, you thought of waterfalls. Now you think about wine.” The enthusiastic winegrowers of Nova Scotia are hoping to follow Ontario’s lead in making their peaceful province a wine touring destination.

The Winery Association of Nova Scotia was formed in 2002. They remind us that the wine industry here has “climate and soil conditions that favour unique and distinctive grape varietals, an abundant supply of inexpensive land for potential development, unfettered by urban encroachment and strong transportation links and proximity to the large Eastern USA markets and Europe.” They are hoping that as wine lovers grow tired of drinking the same familiar varieties they might turn to Nova Scotia for something different.

Nova Scotian Wines Win Awards

Among Nova Scotia’s award-winning wines are Rieslings from Gaspereau, Marachel Foch from Jost and Seyval Blanc from Le Domaine de Grand Pré.

About 850 acres are presently under vine in Nova Scotia and the industry would like to double that amount over the next years. To encourage Nova Scotia’s fledgling wine industry, the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation has lowered its tariff by 70% and the Kings County Development Agency is putting together a packet aimed at domestic and foreign investors.

Here’s a video highlighting Nova Scotia’s leading wineries and vineyards:

In Elizabethan terms, ‘planters’ denotes the people who planted colonies, not crops. In particular, it refers to the Annapolis Valley settlers. Their settlements were in the area that was called Nova Scotia and now includes New Brunswick

Nova Scotia Governor Plans for Colonization

Governor Charles Lawrence, responsible for the Acadian expulsion, developed a plan to have English-speaking people settle on the lands made vacant by his actions. He saw New Englanders as the most suitable candidates for those and other valuable properties.

To assure success of his plan, Lawrence was forced to establish an elected legislature. The Assembly which had its first sitting in the Red Chamber in the autumn of 1758 is the oldest in Canada.

On October 12, Lawrence prepared a Proclamation for publication in the Boston Gazette to encourage colonization by English-speaking people. Potential applicants were informed of agencies that would receive their proposals. The widely-read proclamation garnered numerous inquiries from individuals and groups.

Promises Made to New Englanders

With the great influx of immigrants into eastern seaboard towns, land speculation was rife, and most of the best farm land was taken. Unwilling or unable to travel west, people were looking for alternatives.

The second Proclamation issued by Lawrence on January 11, 1759 set out the terms of settlement. They included amount of acreage available for individuals and families and stipulations for cultivation and clearance of lands.

There were also assurances that the court system was the same as that of New England, and that all Protestants would enjoy religious freedom. The government accepted responsibility for paying transportation costs and providing some support for poor families during their first year.

Beginning in April 1759, land agents arrived to look over the areas available and to study the topography and soil. They then recorded requests for allotments on behalf of their clients. Enthusiasm for the endeavour spread with word of the agents’ successful negotiations.

Nova Scotia Settlement by Planters and Pioneers

Fleets of as many as 20 ships sailed in with planters and pioneers seeking free land. Nova Scotia’s population increased by more than 2,000 New England farmers, fishermen, and their families in 1760. The numbers increased greatly during the following years. So, the lands that Acadian families tended for more than 70 years became occupied after five years of vacancy.

An early attempt to settle around Barrington failed because it was cited as a farming area. Unfit for agriculture on a large scale, its real advantage was access and proximity to the sea for fishing.

Even after government funds for transportation were discontinued, there were many more arrivals. Frequently, groups of families travelled in convoys of individual boats.

Edmund and Elizabeth Doane

There were also families that made the treacherous journey alone, including that of Edmund and Elizabeth Doane in 176l. Swept past their destination by a gale, the boat was severely damaged. After finding refuge at Liverpool until spring, the Doanes set sail for Cape Sable Island. The only member of their livestock that survived the ordeal was the old mare.

As Dr. Esther Clark Wright stated in her remarkable history of those settlers, their stories have been largely ignored by historians. She contends that their important contributions have not been “adequately known or emphasized”.

A chance encounter with a bear or moose can be special or dangerous because wild animals are just that: wild. Safely watch Canadian wildlife and non-native animals at farms and wildlife parks in Nova Scotia. Be it a dam-building beaver, slow-moving moose, or lumbering bear, families and Nova Scotia visitors will delight in a day trip to a local wildlife park.

Canadian Wildlife at Nova Scotia Wildlife Parks

Near Halifax, in Cape Breton, and in the Annapolis Valley, find great opportunities to see iconic Canadian wildlife. Observe bears, moose, wolves, beavers, and more Canadian wildlife at the following animal parks:

Shubenacadie Provincial Wildlife Park: See Nova Scotia wildlife such as wolves, moose, bears, beavers, porcupines, raccoons, and cougars. The animals are a mix of those born in captivity and those that can no longer survive in the wild due to injuries or human interaction. The park also houses dozens of bird species, including owls, falcons, and Canada geese. Open daily from mid-May to mid-October, the wildlife park opens weekends the remainder of the year.

Two Rivers Wildlife Park: Run by a community non-profit organization, this year-round wildlife park features bears, a moose, wolves, skunks, and a groundhog. Located in Cape Breton, the parks is ideal for picnicking and family day trips.

Oaklawn Farm Zoo: See more Canadian wildlife at Oaklawn Farm Zoo, such as bears, raccoons, foxes, deer, and cougars. But the zoo is also home to exotic animals like camels, tigers, wallabies, and pythons. The Annapolis Valley park opens daily from Easter through to mid-October, and pairs nicely with a visit to Grand Pré and Wolfville.

Canadian images of vast wilderness and untouched landscapes often feature animals. From Canadian coins to sports mascots, Canada celebrates its iconic wildlife:

Beavers: Featured on the Canadian nickel, beavers are common in lakes and waterways. Their handiwork (gnawed trees and dammed waterways) can be unwelcome.

Bears: These mammals draw curiosity for their power and sometimes deadly interactions with humans. Nova Scotia is home to black bears, while Grizzly bears live in western Canada and Polar Bears in Canada’s north.

Cougars: A rare sight in the wild, cougars are shy and cover large territories.

Moose: With their widely spanning antlers, moose are a popular Canadian image. Moose usually choose territory away from human habitation and the Mainland Moose is endangered in Nova Scotia.

Wolves: Another shy Canadian animal, wolves live and hunt in packs. Wolves are extinct in Nova Scotia.

Although these animals can be found in the wild, the safest place to observe them (for both humans and the animals) is in a wildlife park.

The Antigonish Highland Games are the longest running games of their kind held outside Scotland, and they’ve been attracting travellers since their official beginnings in 1863. Each July, hundreds of athletes, musicians and dancers congregate in this small town to celebrate their highland heritage in grand fashion, with parades, concerts and competitions, and if you’re heading to Nova Scotia, you’ll want to be a part of all the excitement.

The Culture

Caid Mile Failte—One Hundred Thousand Welcomes—that’s perhaps the first tradition you’ll encounter as you’re welcomed in the time-honored Celtic way to the heart of highland Nova Scotia. These people take their cultural heritage seriously, and you’ll immediately feel as if you’ve be transported back to the Scotland of another time. Tartans of every clan and color abound. You’ll see hundreds of people in kilts and hear the language of the Gaels spoken on every street corner. And when they’re not speaking Gaelic, you’ll catch the soft accent of it in their English—it’s what makes the unmistakable ‘down east’ drawl. The poignant strains of the bagpipe will captivate you, too, and the silhouette of a lone piper against the setting sun will provide a stirring memory of your visit to this bastion of Scottish culture.

The Festivities

The festival spans an entire week, and in the days leading up to the games there’s plenty to see and do. The Grand Parade features floats, pipe and drum bands and marching clans in their colorful tartan ensembles—a grand spectacle indeed. Follow this up with the not-to-be-missed Concert Under the Stars. It’s a unique and beautiful experience in the stillness of a Nova Scotia summer’s night.

You’ll get your fill of Scottish tradition at the annual Ceilidh—the Gaelic word for party or gathering—where you’ll dance, clap and stomp your way through an evening of authentic Scottish entertainment. And if you’re a golfer, you can play in the kilted golf tournament; but be warned, you must wear a kilt to participate.

One of the very best festival events, however, is the colorful Massed Pipe Bands. There’s something uplifting in the sight and sound of hundreds of kilted pipers and drummers marching together in formation and playing with all their hearts. It will make your own heart beat faster.

The Games

All these festivities are merely the lead up. The traditional heavy event competitions remain the core of the celebration, featuring such feats of strength as the famous caber toss, in which burly men—in kilts, of course—single-handedly toss an eighteen foot long, 120 pound spruce pole. In the hammer throw event, a 40 lb stone affixed to 3 ft handle is flung like a discus. The stone toss will catch your attention as well. Here a 56 pound stone attached to a chain is tossed over a high jump apparatus. It doesn’t get any more traditional than this.

You’ll definitely want to take in the highland dancing competitions, too. They’re a historically significant part of Scottish culture and tradition and thus a huge part of the celebrations. The wee lasses are precious in their traditional dancer’s garb, and the nimble-footed finesse of the ancient dances will simply amaze you.

Above all, don’t forget your camera; there are one-of-a-kind photo opportunities everywhere you go during games week. You’ll definitely want to capture all the color, pageantry and excitement of the true highland spirit of celebration that’s yours to experience at the Antigonish Highland Games here in the Highland Heart of Nova Scotia.